Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Coney Island Amusement Park 1900-1920Coney Island Amusement Park 1900-1920

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Amusement Parks provided escapeAmusement Parks provided escape– For female garment workersFor female garment workers

Chance to meet young menChance to meet young men Spend time with friendsSpend time with friends Show off new outfitsShow off new outfits

Electricity made riding streetcars and Electricity made riding streetcars and evening walks a leisure activityevening walks a leisure activity

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Orville Wright and first Orville Wright and first flight 1903flight 1903

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Introduction of Henry Introduction of Henry Ford’s Model T - 1908Ford’s Model T - 1908

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

The movies!!!The movies!!! Nickelodeons – in Nickelodeons – in

immigrant immigrant neighborhoodsneighborhoods– Featured brief comic Featured brief comic

sequences like sequences like The The Sneeze Sneeze or or The Kiss.The Kiss.

– The Great Train The Great Train Robbery Robbery – began to tell – began to tell storiesstories

– Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Diversions struck some middle class reformers as Diversions struck some middle class reformers as moral trapsmoral traps– Fearing immorality and social disorderFearing immorality and social disorder– Reformers campaigned to regulate amusement parks, Reformers campaigned to regulate amusement parks,

dance halls and the moviesdance halls and the movies

Supreme Court upheld city censorship boards in Supreme Court upheld city censorship boards in 1915.1915.

Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) began fighting prostitution in the cities.began fighting prostitution in the cities.

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Temperance MovementTemperance Movement– Reformers tactics and objectives changed in Reformers tactics and objectives changed in

Progressive EraProgressive Era

Anti-Saloon League (ASL), 1895 – Anti-Saloon League (ASL), 1895 – – Had fought to slow or stop consumptionHad fought to slow or stop consumption– Now wants to ban sell of alcoholNow wants to ban sell of alcohol

National Prohibition gains strengthNational Prohibition gains strength True problem v. racial fearsTrue problem v. racial fears

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Drug Abuse Drug Abuse Physicians, patent-medicine peddlers, and Physicians, patent-medicine peddlers, and

legitimate drug companies freely prescribed legitimate drug companies freely prescribed or sold opium and its derivatives morphine or sold opium and its derivatives morphine and heroin.and heroin.

Cocaine was widely used as wellCocaine was widely used as well Coca-Cola contained cocaine until 1912Coca-Cola contained cocaine until 1912

Fun and DiversionFun and Diversion

Drug Abuse Drug Abuse Narcotics Act of 1914, (Harrison Act), Narcotics Act of 1914, (Harrison Act),

banned the distribution of heroin, morphine, banned the distribution of heroin, morphine, cocaine, and other addictive drugs except cocaine, and other addictive drugs except by licensed physicians or pharmacists.by licensed physicians or pharmacists.

Campaigns against drugs had racial Campaigns against drugs had racial undertonesundertones– Chinese “opium dens” or “drug crazed Negroes”Chinese “opium dens” or “drug crazed Negroes”

Immigration Restriction and Immigration Restriction and EugenicsEugenics

Immigration Restriction League 1894 Immigration Restriction League 1894 (Boston)(Boston)

American Federation of Labor – feared job American Federation of Labor – feared job competitioncompetition

Both fought for immigration restrictionsBoth fought for immigration restrictions Progressives used scientific expertise to Progressives used scientific expertise to

prove new immigrants were “low browed, prove new immigrants were “low browed, big-faced persons of obviously low big-faced persons of obviously low mentality. mentality.

Immigration Restriction and Immigration Restriction and EugenicsEugenics

Senator Henry Cobot Lodge, led Congress Senator Henry Cobot Lodge, led Congress to pass literacy-test bills in 1896, 1913 and to pass literacy-test bills in 1896, 1913 and 1915, all were vetoed.1915, all were vetoed.

1917 one bill did get past President Wilson’s 1917 one bill did get past President Wilson’s Veto.Veto.– Physical exams became mixed up with Physical exams became mixed up with

stereotypes of entire ethnic groups as mental or stereotypes of entire ethnic groups as mental or physical defectsphysical defects

Immigration Restriction and Immigration Restriction and EugenicsEugenics

Immigrant fears fueled EugenicsImmigrant fears fueled Eugenics– Controlled reproductionControlled reproduction– Zoologist Charles B. Davenport (leading eugenicist)Zoologist Charles B. Davenport (leading eugenicist)

Urged immigration limitation to keep America from pollution by Urged immigration limitation to keep America from pollution by “inferior” genetic stock.“inferior” genetic stock.

– The Passing of the Great RThe Passing of the Great Raceace used bogus data to used bogus data to denounce immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, denounce immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, especially Jews. He also viewed African Americans as especially Jews. He also viewed African Americans as inferior.inferior.

– Promoted legalized sterilization of criminals, sex offenders, Promoted legalized sterilization of criminals, sex offenders, and persons adjudged mentally deficientand persons adjudged mentally deficient..

– 1927 Bull v. Bell 1927 Bull v. Bell upheld such laws.upheld such laws.

Racism and ProgressivismRacism and Progressivism

1910 - 20% of Black population lived in cities1910 - 20% of Black population lived in cities By 1910 54% of all Black women held jobsBy 1910 54% of all Black women held jobs Across South legally enforced racism peaked in Across South legally enforced racism peaked in

early 1900’searly 1900’s Jim Crow laws segregated streetcars, schools, Jim Crow laws segregated streetcars, schools,

parks, and even cemeteries.parks, and even cemeteries. Facilities were inferiorFacilities were inferior Tensions heightened with immigrants competing fo Tensions heightened with immigrants competing fo

the same jobsthe same jobs

Racism and ProgressivismRacism and Progressivism

Lynching occurred about 75 times a year Lynching occurred about 75 times a year between 1900 and 1920between 1900 and 1920

African Methodist Episcopal church African Methodist Episcopal church supported the African American communitysupported the African American community

Fisk, Howard, and Morehouse educated Fisk, Howard, and Morehouse educated leaders and fought rasimleaders and fought rasim

Spelman College opened for African Spelman College opened for African American WomenAmerican Women

Racism and ProgressivismRacism and Progressivism

Mary White Ovington helped to found the Mary White Ovington helped to found the National Association for the Advancement of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).Colored People (NAACP).

Racism against immigrants and African Racism against immigrants and African Americans caused the Progressive Americans caused the Progressive movement to be unbalanced.movement to be unbalanced.

Reform v. RacismReform v. Racism